Attorney Michael J. Cefalo

1940 - 2024

Attorney Michael J. Cefalo, born Sept. 23, 1940, passed away Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

Michael, son of the late Angelo and Josephine Cefalo, was raised in West Pittston and graduated from West Pittston High School in 1958. Mike graduated as a cadet from Pennsylvania Military College, now Widener University, with a degree in English then went on to earn two Juris Doctorate degrees: one from the University of Baltimore's Mount Vernon School of Law and one from the Columbia School of Law of the Catholic University in Washington, D.C. During his time at Catholic University, he served the U.S. House of Representatives working in the House Library reference room adjacent to the House Floor.

After graduation from Law School, Mike returned to the Wyoming Valley and started his law firm, Cefalo and Associates in West Pittston, and for the next 30 plus years, the slogan "We're the people's law firm, and we like it that way!" was just as recognizable in Northeastern Pennsylvania as "just do it" or "got milk." What made the slogan perfect is its honesty. Mike truly saw himself as "the people's lawyer," and he truly did like it that way.

Honesty, first and foremost, defined Mike Cefalo the lawyer and Mike Cefalo the person. He made it clear he got that from his father, the late Angelo Cefalo, a prominent figure in International Labor. He also inherited his father's respect for the working man. It was not unusual to see Mike join a picket line during work stoppage. "We represent the people, not the powerful" was another of his firm's mantras.

Mike's time on Capitol Hill ignited a love of politics which took him to four National Democratic Conventions as an elected Pennsylvania delegate. The hats he wore to the Democratic national Convention in 1976 landed him on national television and the pages of Time magazine.

Early in his career, Mike served as a public defender and in 1976 he became Luzerne County's Chief Public Defender. Of the thousands of cases in which his law firm participated, Mike is probably most recognized for his success in cases involving the giardiasis outbreak in the early 1980s, the "kids for cash" scandal and the McDonald's restaurant's debit card payment suit.

While Mike loved the law, particularly the opportunity it gave him to serve the less fortunate and defend equal rights for all, his love for God, his family and his community burned bright.

He loved golfing, skiing and racing his Miata sports car as part of his son Marc's Planet Miata racing team. His true passion, however, may have been his love for ballroom dancing. If not burning the midnight oil in his office, he could be found on the dance floor with Bette.

Mike was a daily communicant at Corpus Christi Parish in West Pittston and enjoyed verbally jousting with pastor Monsignor Sempa at their "after Mass Koffee Klatch." He gave to causes large and small, mostly anonymously. For years he participated in the pheresis program of the American Red Cross donating his platelets to help those battling cancer.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Marietta Cefalo Wisnewski.

Mike is survived by his wife of 61 years, the former Bette Godlewicz; and his children, Christine Strunk and her husband, David, Shavertown; Michael and his wife, Karen, Wyoming; Marc and his wife, Nicole, Mountain Top; grandchildren, Mary and Michael Strunk; and Anthony Cefalo.

A very special thank you to Mike's caregivers: Claudia, Tom, Debbie, Fabiola, Pat, Mike and Susie. You all were beyond wonderful!

A visitation and Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Monsignor John Sempa were held in Corpus Christi Parish, 605 Luzerne Ave., West Pittston.

Memorial donations, if desired, may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, stjude.org, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or St. Joseph's Center, 2010 Adams Ave., Scranton, PA 18509.

Funeral arrangements are from Adonizio Funeral Home LLC, Pittston. Condolences may be offered at adoniziofuneralhome.com